


Constellation

by Fujinakaheero, XanderB



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec can't deal, Alec is a witch hunter, Alec is so naive, Alternate Universe, Eventual Smut, First Meetings, Gay relations, Homophobia, Insecure Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane Is A Freewheeling Bisexual, Magnus is old as shit in this, Magnus owns a cafe, Manipulation, Witches and Warlocks, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 05:35:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12764232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fujinakaheero/pseuds/Fujinakaheero, https://archiveofourown.org/users/XanderB/pseuds/XanderB
Summary: A tea shop. A grey fur ball who has uncannily similar eyes as it's owner, and a cheeky Star Child who instantly got under his skin.****Or: Magnus, and all magic users, witches and warlocks, are known as Star Children. Magnus is one of the oldest warlocks known to the Magistrate. When Jace goes missing, Alec gets put on a mission to find Magnus Bane and get him to help any way he can. Too bad his first meeting with the old soul had completely and utterly taken him off guard.





	Constellation

Crystal orbs scanned the screen in front of him, different documents were pulled up on the computer before him. Dark eyebrows knit together in concentration as the raven haired man read through another archived article from their witch and warlock database, trying to find a lead in locating his latest target. Leaning back in the worn leather chair he sat in, pale hands ran through dark locks, a sigh escaping pink lips as he took a break from all the reading. Alec had been at this for the last few hours now and the most he had found was that the warlock was known as the leader of the main coven of Brooklyn. Magnus Bane was an old warlock; some information claimed he was over four hundred years while others argued he may well be thousands of years old. There was no undisputed proof of his biological age available, so the theoretical articles were of little use to him. Not that it mattered because he knew the Star Children could change their appearances if they so desired. What he really needed to find out was whether or not Magnus was even back in the city. He had fled some fifty odd years ago, smuggling the largest recorded number of young witches and warlocks out of the country, taking them to some safe haven before the organization that employed him, could register them. The power Magnus held had made the Magistrate turn a blind eye to it for all these years; they had said they would keep the information for a later time when they needed something from the man.

That time had come for them though, one of their own was missing and they were sure witches were involved, there had been large sources of magic being used in the city and he was sure it was linked to his missing partner and the little fiery redheaded witch he was secretly meeting with before his disappearance. Bane was their best bet in finding Jace but no one had seen him in years. He had heard talks of a powerful witch moving into the city recently, it was a lead. Imogen Herondale had been the one to put him on the mission, though he had requested it.

_“You have to put me on this mission. It should be me finding Jace.” Alec had almost pleaded to Imogen in her office. She was the witch hunter elder who was in charge of the missions other hunters went on. He’d gone to her immediately after finding Jace missing._

_She held her hand up, silencing him as she spoke. “I already have you assigned to it Mr. Lightwood. You must find Magnus Bane, he will be the key to finding Wayland but not many can know of this. I need your utmost discretion in this, you will be the only one on this for the time being. You will need to convince Bane to work with us.” Long arms crossed over a broad chest at this information, eyes narrowing slightly._

_“Wouldn’t it be better to have someone working with me? Izzy is a great tracker she can-”_

_“It will be just you on this case for the time being.You may not know Bane but I do. He’s cunning. He is good at playing mind tricks with his victims, Isabelle would just be in the way. Star Children are powerful, we know this, but Bane is on a whole different level from them. I need you to gain his trust any way you can so that he’ll willingly join us. Wayland’s disappearance is no coincidence, it was planned and we need to get one step ahead of whoever is behind it. Bane is our best option.” Alec’s arms dropped to his side. What did she mean by ‘anyway you can’? He chose not to ask._

_“Find out anything you can Lightwood. I have heard there’s been a spike of magic in Brooklyn that could be a potential lead. I want you out there as soon as possible. Time is of the essence.”_

_“Yes Madam Herondale.” The older woman left the room, leaving Alec to find his footing and approach to this case. He was more than a little shocked that not only had Imogen put him on this mission but also alone. Something didn’t feel right about this._

Alec pulled away from the screen and sat back in the old chair, right hand coming back up to tug lightly on dark chocolate locks once more. Their database held little of value for him and he decided it was time to hit the ground, go on any leads he had been given so far. Brooklyn was his first lead in this blind chase but he knew he needed to check it out if it meant gaining any new intel. Closing all the files from the screen, he pushed out of his chair and made his way to his room to change.

* * *

 

Alec found himself walking along the busy streets, looking around for any indication that a witch or warlock recently set up shop. It was usually easy to spot; Star Children were one with the earth and wherever they were unnatural plant and animal life were around. In this city plants growing anywhere but at the parks or the designated tree every two blocks were unnatural.

He walked by old red brick buildings that had little shops in them, vendors sat on the sidewalk trying to smooth talk people into buying their fake products while others offered samplings from their stores to get customers to come inside. He stopped when he came across a new spot though. He looked at the building and gave himself a small grin. The outside of the building was covered in vines and wildflowers. It was beautiful but he knew what it meant. Perhaps this was part of the lead he had been given. There was no record of this place opening so he knew this had emerged recently. He looked at the sign that read Immortali-Tea, the pun wasn’t lost on him and if the abnormal wildlife in the store didn’t give it away, the ridiculous name sure did. He treaded lightly in after another shake of his head at the name. The place was filled with guests who sipped their drinks as they talked to the people around them. As he entered, the light chatter that had filled the room died out. He looked up to see all eyes on him. He was used to this. The magic users could always tell what he was as soon as they saw him. Breathing in deep through his nose, he let the warm air fill his lungs. He could feel the magic prickling his skin as he walked towards the counter. As far as anyone was concerned, he was just here for some tea and to check out the new witch shop in his city.

There was a young woman behind the counter, ginger hair shorn on one side and dreadlocked passed her shoulder on the other, an oversized knit hat lazily sprawled atop her head and a number of inked symbols and runes, as well as scrawling drudaic colouring her freckled skin. Mismatched green and gold eyes framed by thick, dark lashes and rimmed in charcoal watched the hunter as he entered, narrowed suspiciously. She knew what he was. She raised a pierced brow at him as he looked around then approached the counter she was wiping down. Plantlife was thriving everywhere in the tidy little tea shop, crawling vines and flowering ivy hanging overhead, potted herbs: jasmine, chamomile, lemongrass, and too many others to name taking up all the available window space while a stout grey splotched tabby cat lay perched on the top of the register and sleeping soundly, unconcerned and uninterested in the newcomer. “Are you lost?” The girl asked in greeting, eyeing the handsome young man with equal measure anxiety and contempt.

He blinked at her and hesitated a moment as if he wasn’t certain she was speaking to him before he took the last few steps towards the counter where a few stools were situated. Finally, he looked as though he was going to answer and the young woman shifted her weight uncomfortably.

“He’s here for me Cecilia,” a smooth, husky voice drawled from the doorway at the far end of the counter where the rumoured infamous “Moon Child”, high warlock and Magistrate wanted felon Magnus Bane made his grand entrance. He strode gracefully towards the girl, long-legged gait languid and sinuous as he approached. He took the cloth from her and gave her an assuring smile, “You go ahead and take your break now.” She hesitated a moment, looking between the hunter and her mentor, but she finally turned and disappeared through the doorway Magnus had entered through when the warlock inclined his head at her.

The willowy Indonesian slanted his gaze to the hunter, nimble fingers folding the cloth idly as he sized him up, gold-dusted lids hooded over his magnetic feline gaze, curious interest in the ochered amber depths. He set the cloth aside and leaned on the counter, dressed sharply in slim-fitted designer jeans that were somewhere between coal and midnight in colour and molded themselves to his long legs sinfully, and a silky, wine-coloured long-sleeved shirt rolled up to his elbow, and unbuttoned to show off an enticing sliver of the bronzed skin that was complimented so well. Soot-lacquered and manicured nails clicked against the marbled glass of his countertop, the revealed skin of his forearms stained with much older script than even what had been inked on the girl, the language of the earth richly embedded into his very being, and he smiled pleasantly, knowingly at the young man, “I must say, you aren’t what I was expecting.”

The raven was taken aback and at a loss for words as he took in the taller man before him. He felt the air shift around him, the magic dancing along his skin as the warlock stood behind the counter, watching him with those golden orbs. He had never encountered a star child with this kind of magic before, he could feel the power behind it and it made him take a step back from the man, adding distance between them as he tried to gather himself.

“I-I’m just here for tea,” Alec sputtered out. He mentally kicked himself for the stutter. It only ever happened when he was nervous and right now, his nerves were running wild. His heart thrumming wildly in his chest as he glanced around the cafe once more, eyes of various colours and iris shapes continued to watch him. He focused his gaze back on the tall, lean man before him once more and told himself that he had nothing to worry about. “Unless you suddenly stopped serving tea?” He held himself a bit taller, tone almost challenging.

Magnus’ smile broadened, amusement flickering in the feline depths of his eyes in response to the obviously nervous young man’s attempt to appear more confident than he clearly was. “We do indeed serve tea, amongst other things,” he said, inclining his head and raising a shapely brow as if daring the other man to question just what other things he was referring to. He turned away a moment later to prepare the raven-haired hunter a cup of lavender and chamomile tea that would surely soothe his anxiety, plucking the fresh blooms right from plants. He placed them in the little tea strainer and sprinkled a pinch of vaguely shimmering dust over them before he retrieved a pot of water, humming thoughtfully at the tepid temperature. He pressed a single fingertip to the delicate, porcelain teapot, urging the water to reheat as the fire element enthusiastically responded to his call, and he smiled approvingly as he poured the now steaming water over the blend. He added a drizzle of honey, stirred the brew three times counterclockwise and then slid the saucer and cup towards the young man. “Now then, why don’t you tell me why you’re really here? She sent you didn’t she? Be honest.”

Alec watched with mild fascination as the eccentric man went about making his drink, choosing to ignore the implication the man made. He knew what star children were capable of and he could only imagine what Magnus Bane could do. The magic he felt floating around him was more than enough for him to know he was dealing with someone on a different plain of magic use. He found his eyes drifting down the taut body behind the counter, appreciating just for a moment the dark locks that were meticulously styled, every strand perfectly in place, and the way the dark pants clung to the firm ass, making note that the man was a few inches taller than himself. He felt out of place in his nondescript black jeans and v-neck cotton t-shirt. His dark brown leather jacket was the only part of his ensemble that really stood out and he’d worn it because of the practical deep pockets on the inside of the garment.

He snapped his eyes back up when the warlock turned around with a the porcelain cup that sat neatly on a matching saucer and set it before him on the counter. The question that followed made him pause, trying to figure a way to answer without causing an issue. Madame Herondale had been clear on her orders, get Magnus to help us by any means necessary. He knew that he was a terrible liar so he wouldn’t be able to make something plausible up.

“I-I-” His stutter gave him pause and he cleared his throat. He wasn’t usually this nervous when he dealt with these kinds of people, perhaps it was the aura of the man settling over him that set him off kilter. Breathing in through his nose, he tried again, “I was sent here to check out the spike in magic in the area. We’d heard rumours you’d returned to New York recently which means you were expecting me, or one of us, to show up eventually.” He moved to grab his wallet from his back pocket, pulling it out and looking up expectantly. “How much do I owe you?” He was deflecting, if only a little bit, from the original question. Yes Imogen had sent him, but he wasn’t ready to come right out and say so. Asking a star child for help didn’t sit right with him, yet he had asked for this, to be the one to be put on this mission. He would ask, if it meant saving Jace.

“Your name and we’ll call it even,” Magnus replied, the corner of his mouth curled into a knowing little grin, “I can’t very well go about calling you hunter now can I; it’d be in such poor taste, especially when you’re prettier than any that have hunted me before. Younger too.” He leaned on the counter again, resting his chin on one palm and watching the handsome and flustered young man with hooded cat’s eyes, the dusting of gold on his lids shimmering smokily with every flutter of the thick, dark lashes.

Alec felt the flush creep up his neck and cheeks at the words. He was very aware he was much younger than many of the hunters that were assigned missions, especially ones concerning such old souls. He didn’t miss the way his heart fluttered in his chest as deep ambers bore into him, as if the old warlock could see into his soul. He didn’t like how the golden skinned man seemed to know him better than he knew himself. He’d never encountered such a creature before. He watched a perfectly groomed charcoal eyebrow arch at him, waiting for him to say something.

The blue-eyed hunter reminded himself to breathe again; he needed to regain his composure. This was not part of the plan and he couldn’t let Magnus derail it. Gaining some of his confidence back, he looked straight into the amused chartreuse orbs. The gold shimmer around them bringing out flecks of green around the slitted irises. It would be a lie to say they weren’t intriguing.

“Alec. Alec Lightwood and I may be young but I am good at what I do.” He grabbed his cup, taking a sip as he regarded the warlock from in front of the counter once more, the low hum of chatter slowly filling the cafe finally. He chanced a peek around to see that most eyes were finally off of him. He really meant no harm to any of the witches and warlocks here, Bane was the one he had been sent for after all and as long as the magical beings were keeping the peace then they had nothing to worry about.

The warlock chuckled, the sound thick and velvety like warm chocolate, “Oh, I’ve no doubt you are good at what you do _Alec_ ,” he returned, a decidedly flirtatious tone underlying the words. He poured himself a cup of some that was vibrantly violet and seemed to swirl about the glass as though it were a living thing, idly glancing up at the attractive young man and continuing with sincere interest and curiosity, “Is that short for Alexander?”

The hunter was different, more honest than so many others he had met in his long long life, an endearingly naive and shy quality about him that Magnus found surprisingly charming and so refreshing. He couldn’t help but tease him, if not just to see the colour stain his cheeks boyishly. How long had it been since he’d found himself genuinely drawn and attracted to another?

The confidence he’d had just a moment ago vanished once more when Alec’s full name fell from the soft looking, dusky pink lips. The tea cup almost fell from his grasp. Not many people called him by his full name, his parents being the few that still used it and it was only when he had somehow disappointed them again. He could never do right by them, yet hearing the way the honey smooth voice caressed his name as he said it caused his heart to speed up. A shiver ran down his spine and he willed himself to check himself. Why was this meeting proving to be so difficult? One minute he was composed, sure of himself and the next he was stumbling over his thoughts as his blood rushed through him.

“Y-yes. A-Alexander is my full name but I go by Alec,” he set his cup down shakily on the saucer that still sat on the counter between them, “T-thank you for the tea. I should probably g-go.” His mind was a flurry of confusion and his fight or flight instinct was kicking in. He needed to get out of here. He’d give himself some time to regain his composure again; now that he knew what he was dealing with, he’d come back to Bane when he figured out how to actually approach the exotic being. He couldn’t let any physical attraction he may have get in the way of his mission, not when someone’s life was on the line and everyone knew hunters and star children didn’t mingle, not intimately and certainly not with someone of the same gender. His sexual preference was not something he discussed with people and it wasn’t public knowledge.

Alec found that even though his mouth said he needed to leave and his mind was screaming at him to move, his body was slow to obey the messages firing through his brain, the connection obviously not being made. There was a force about Magnus that was holding him captive, something behind the knowing gaze that made him feel like he was being left out of a secret that involved the two of them. The glint in the golden eyes made him feel he needed to try again to leave.

“T-thank you for the t-tea. Again,” he mumbled quietly, eyes trailing down, lashes fluttering softly, until he focused on the floor, trying to find anything to avoid looking at the enticing man. His cheeks burned under the intense gaze he felt on him still. What was happening to him?

A Cheshire grin spread over Magnus’ lips and he shifted his weight idly, leaning forward further, “Anytime, I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again soon,” he answered huskily, sliding a hand across the counter. He used a fingertip to trace a symbol over the back of the young man’s hand, a mark that other star children would recognize as his and know that the hunter was not to be touched. The tension that stiffened the young man at his caress did not go unnoticed and a wicked glint flickered in the ochered amber of his feline eyes as he slowly retracted his hand, rubbing his tingling fingers together curiously.

The raven abruptly stood up and turned on his heel to leave, the pale tips of his ears an endearing shade of rosey as he tripped over his own feet. “Oh, and tell that old witch that I know what it is she’s looking for and I’m not inclined to return it to her. But what you’re seeking, I’ll gladly lend my aide, you need only ask _Alexander_ ,” the warlock bid in farewell, catching the vague nod from the younger man before he swiftly disappeared out the door. Magnus hummed to himself as he watched Alexander make his escape, an amused and decidedly fond smile still perched upon his lips. No, the young hunter had not been what he was expecting, but he wasn’t at all disappointed.

**Author's Note:**

> If you are reading this then thank you! We hope you enjoyed the start to our little collab. Look forward to future updates. We will post when we can and when we have time in between our own writing. Check us out respectively on our AO3 profiles!


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